According to a new study by Bounty.com (the British parenting site, not the paper towel brand), the ideal family includes two daughters and no sons.

Says Bounty, two daughters were found to be “‘easy to reason’ with, ‘helped around the house’ and generally ‘liked each other'”.

Having four girls, however, doesn’t double the bliss. In fact, it makes for chaos. Parents of four girls reported that they “fight and argue all the time,” “take ages getting ready for school” and are generally “hard to cope with on a daily basis.”

Families with one boy and one girl ranked second in the bliss factor, while two boys — my combo — ranked third. There were no details on how parents of two boys got along, so I have added my own.

Frequently noisy, especially when there is a ball, a horn or “HE STARTED IT!” involved.

Help around the house (when threatened or fishing for cash to buy more Airsoft bullets or FIFA soccer trading cards.)

Quite easy to reason with, largely because they stopped listening to you right after the verb and are now thinking about what’s in the pantry.

11 responses to “Two Daughters = Bliss. Two Sons = This…”

I have 5 children 4 sons one daughter and a 6th child on the way. I find this article funny. Ages range from 12 to 2 and my daughter who is 2 is the most drama/difficult at age 2. You would think she would be a tomboy but even before the age of 1 she was drawn to girly prissy stuff it is not nurture but nature. As for difficulty she is far more drama than her 4 older brothers. Every family is different and this which gender is more difficult depends on a bunch of factors. if you are in a household where you do not have a man or have a child’s father who is not actually classically masculine, than yeah boys probably are going to be difficult. but of all my friends with kids that have actual masculine men in the house, boys are not a problem. You women need to reject these metro-sexual beta boys and find men who want to be in life long relationships who fully take on leadership roles and protect their wives and children. Until you do that you will suck at life.

2 boys. 2 girls… I find boys to be easier than the girls (though we love them all equally).

Pros of boys: With a boy they are much easier to entertain and entertain themselves. The girls (and I have found this will all the the girls in my family), they require a bit more to entertain them and usually need someone else there with them and are not good at playing by themselves. The girls are more manipulative, less easy to please and they also always seem to think that something is unfair. You can buy 4 chocolate ice cream cones and hand them out, and even though the ice creams were all identical in flavor and size, the girls seem to always complain “hers or his was bigger than mine and she or he got more and theirs tastes better than mine”. The girls whine and complain more, the boys are MUCH more easy going. They girls also bicker more than the boys, and actually do not share their stuff as well. The boys are much closer and enjoy eachother’s company much more than the girls. And the girls are crying about something at least 2-3 times a day, they are very dramatic and often do enjoy playing a victim or damsel in distress role lol! The boys are much less moody and irritable, the girls are quick to anger and quick to become upset. I personally find the boys more easy to reason with, because the boys are more open to ideas, the girls sometimes seem very stuck in their opinions and ways and moods. The girls you have more battles about hair, clothing and friends. The boys will wear what you buy and not complain and the boys don’t care if you meet their friends or talk to parents. The boys are less embarrassed by you.

Pros of girls:My girls have NEVER landed us in the ER for a head wound or other wound needing stitches or medical attention. The boys have at least once or twice per year each. The girls are much better behaved in public places, with the girls there is almost never any “put that down, stop climbing on that, do not throw that” like there is with the boys. The girls talk to us more about their problems, concerns or emotions, it is hard to get the boys to have more deep and serious conversations. You can give the girls instructions, and they get distracted less easily. You can tell the kids to go get ready and be at the door in 10 minutes. In 10 minutes the girls will be ready and waiting at the door as instructed, while the boys got distracted and you find them doing something else. Girls are much lighter and healthier eaters… the boys eat 3 times as much as the girls and all they want is junk.

As a whole each child has their different personalities and strengths… but in m opinion it is more about the type of parent and person you are. I have a much harder time dealing with the girls than the boys and though I do have fun with the girls, the boys are just much more fun loving and easy going. I also love that my boys are much closer and more bonded to eachother than the girls, they also share with eachother much more. But, I feel that when my girls are adults that is when the girls and I will be close in different ways, when they go through motherhood and need motherly advice and support. I would have LOVED to have had all boys, but I would have gone mad if I had 4 girls lol.

Twin boys and a one girl for us…I think 3 of anything is harder…even numbers must be the key! But in general, the boys are exactly as you’ve described and our daughter is sometimes behaving like the boys, while wearing her princess dress, or just full-on girl

I’ve got an older daughter and younger son (12 and almost 9) and it is not sheer bliss when they’re together. They argue most of the time and get rowdy (typically when I’m on the phone or when I’m driving). At the heart of it, I know they love each other – at least that’s what I’m telling myself and by the time they’re my age, hopefully one of them will take me in and not put in an assisted living facility.

My combo is 2 boys….2 years apart. You nailed it. Boys are the best….I did daycare for 15 years and when we married we hoped for boys…girls have too much drama for my taste…I’m a mom of boys and proud to be..

Couldn’t find 3 sons and 2 daughters. I guess when they asked those with 5 or more, they couldn’t hear anything over the noise, and when those with 4 were asked what they would want the next to be they just started waving their hands and yelling “DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!!!”

Four boys. What I love about it: recycling clothes and toys. (Don’t know what I would have done if the last one had been a girl!) What I like about it: Don’t have to directly deal with the increasingly early sexualization of girls (skimpy clothes, provacative behavior, etc.). And having four of one sex has allowed me to “specialize.” I probably know a lot more about boys and their problems and tendencies than I would if I’d only had one or two.

What I don’t like about it: Incredibly stupid and ignorant people who ask, “So, you gonna keep trying for a girl?”

My combination — three boys and one girl — is #9 on the list, so don’t feel too bad, Jen!

I have to think that a lot of what makes a family tick well is simply chemistry between the kids, and their individual personalities, and not what gender they are. But that’s just how I see it . . . and no matter how you slice it, my household is *a bit* chaotic at times!

I think it’s a load of crap. Did any of these families have teenage girls? Did the researchers really pay attention? Girls can be just as bad as boys, they’re just sneakier when it comes down to the fighting and bullying.

I’ll take my wonderfully chaotic family with FIVE boys and 2 grandaughters anyday….